ACL submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s review of the draft ethical guidelines on the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology

Infertility is a tragic experience for many couples. Unable to realise what most couples achieve easily, many turn to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) as a way to fulfil their desire to have children. There are, however, some serious ethical problems with the practice of Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Last year, the Australian Christian Lobby provided a submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s review of the draft ethical guidelines on the use of assisted reproductive technology in clinical practice and research, recommending that:

the ethical guidelines continue to prohibit the use of sex selection for non-medical purposes

the ethical guidelines continue to prohibit compensation for the donation of eggs

no donor egg bank be established in Australia

the guidelines be changed to include the principle that a child has a right to know the identity of their biological parents

the best interests of the child be the determining factor when considering eligibility of access to Assisted Reproductive Technology.

The Australian Health Ethics Committee will soon consider the Working Committees recommendations from the review. There has been recent media reporting that this may include allowing sex-selective IVF where a couple has already had two children of the same sex, as well as allowing commercial egg donations.